Loitering munitions market projected to more than double by 2030

The Business Research Company says the global loitering munitions market is set for rapid growth, rising from $2.18 billion in 2025 to $4.39 billion by 2030. The forecast points to higher defense spending, autonomous weapon systems and expanding demand for precision strike tools as key drivers.

Why it matters: - Loitering munitions are moving from niche battlefield tools to a bigger defense market as militaries seek lower-cost precision strike options. - The category’s growth reflects wider shifts toward unmanned systems, autonomous weapons and electronic warfare. - Defense buyers are likely to face faster adoption of drone-like weapons that can loiter, identify targets and strike with explosives onboard.

What happened: - The Business Research Company published Loitering Munitions Global Market Report 2026 – Market Size, Trends, And Forecast 2026-2035. - The report puts the market at $2.18 billion in 2025 and projects $2.51 billion in 2026. - The report forecasts the market will reach $4.39 billion by 2030. - The report says the market will grow at a 14.8% CAGR from 2025 to 2026 and at a 15.0% CAGR through 2030.

The details: - Loitering munitions are unmanned aerial weapons that hover over an area, identify targets and crash into them with explosives onboard. - The systems combine drone and missile characteristics for flexible, precise and timely attacks. - The systems can be operated remotely or autonomously. - The report links near-term growth to rising adoption of unmanned aerial systems in military conflicts. - The report also cites growing demand for cost-effective precision strike solutions, expanded counter-terrorism and asymmetric warfare efforts, faster drone navigation and control advances, and higher military spending on surveillance and reconnaissance. - Longer-term growth is tied to AI-driven autonomous weapon systems, swarm warfare, electronic warfare and counter-drone capabilities, geopolitical tensions and secure battlefield communications for unmanned platforms. - The report highlights five trend areas: AI-powered autonomous targeting, swarm-based coordinated operations, onboard edge computing, network-centric loitering munitions and stealth-optimized low-signature platforms. - According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, global military expenditure rose 2.9% in real terms to $2,887 billion in 2025. - North America was the largest regional market in 2025 because of established defense infrastructure and high military spending. - Asia-Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing region because of higher defense investments and rising geopolitical tensions. - The report covers Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East and Africa. - A free sample of the report is available here. - The full report is available here.

Between the lines: - The forecast suggests defense spending is still flowing toward systems that improve strike accuracy while reducing cost compared with traditional missiles. - The emphasis on AI, swarming and secure communications points to a market shaped by software as much as hardware. - The regional split suggests mature defense markets remain the biggest buyers, while Asia-Pacific may become the fastest source of incremental demand.

What's next: - The market’s next phase will likely be shaped by adoption of autonomous targeting, swarm tactics and counter-drone competition. - Buyers and suppliers will be watching whether AI-enabled systems and networked battlefield platforms move from development into wider deployment. - The report’s 2030 forecast implies continued expansion if defense budgets and geopolitical tensions remain elevated.